Stockton Animal Shelter Operations City Council May 23, 2017 Study Session
BACKGROUND Purpose is to address animal welfare and sheltering for animals within the City limits MOU with San Joaquin County for sheltering animals since 1981 2012 Live Release Rate (LRR) was about 32% Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) vs City of Stockton Council increased funding and Shelter revamped operations San Francisco SPCA (SF SPCA) partnered with the Shelter at their own expense in 2012 City contributed incrementally toward cost neutrality beginning in 2015 By 2016 LRR increased to 82% SF SPCA leaving the Shelter in June 2018
LEGAL OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITY California Penal Code 597.1(a): Any peace officer, humane society officer, or animal control officer shall take possession of the stray or abandoned animal and shall provide care and treatment for the animal until the animal is deemed to be in suitable condition to be returned to the owner. 597.1(c): Any peace officer, humane society officer, or animal control officer shall convey all injured cats and dogs found without their owners in a public place directly to a veterinarian known by the officer to be a veterinarian who ordinarily treats dogs and cats for a determination of whether the animal shall be immediately and humanely destroyed or shall be hospitalized under proper care and given emergency treatment. 599d(a): It is the policy of the state that no adoptable animal should be euthanized if it can be adopted into a suitable home. 599d(b): It is the policy of the state that no treatable animal should be euthanized.
LEGAL OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITY California Health and Safety Code 121690: The governing body of each city, city and county, or county shall maintain or provide for the maintenance of a pound system and a rabies control program. California Food and Agricultural Code 31105: The board of supervisors shall provide for both of the following: (a) The taking up and impounding of all dogs which are found running at large (b) The killing in some humane manner or other disposition of any dog which is impounded 31108: The required holding period for a stray dog impounded shall be six business days, not including the day of impoundment. 31752: The required holding period for a stray cat impounded shall be six business days, not including the day of impoundment.
LEGAL OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITY Stockton Municipal Code 6.04.250: Impounding animals The Animal Services Center may take into custody and impound any animal that is found at large or otherwise contrary to Section 6.04.120 if the Animal Services Center reasonably believes that such impoundment is necessary to protect: (1) the public health, safety, and welfare; (2) public or private property; (3) an animal that is sick or injured for which care is necessary; or (4) from imminent injury or danger an animal that has strayed onto a public right of way or other public property. 6.04.280: When animals may be adopted, transferred or euthanized A. the Animal Services Center shall not adopt or transfer out or euthanize a dog or cat until the State mandated holding period. E. The holding period provided in this section shall be considered a minimum holding period. To permit the public as much time as possible to retrieve or adopt animals, the Animal Services Center shall extend the holding period for individual animals to the extent that kennel space is available and the overall health and safety of the animals in the Shelter are not affected negatively.
ALDF vs. City of Stockton Settlement Effective May 6, 2015 City agreed to review and modify, as necessary, the policies and procedures of the Stockton Animal Shelter to include the following areas: a. Dog shelter operations: intake, data entry, medical care, etc. b. Cat shelter operations: intake, data entry, medical care, etc. c. Dog population management: incomes, outcomes, housing, cleaning, etc. d. Cat population management: incomes, outcomes, housing, cleaning, etc. e. Euthanasia f. Cleaning g. Medical care h. ID follow up
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS MOU with San Joaquin County June 9, 1981, amended August 20, 1990, addressing fee schedules. Financing apportioned between City and County in the ratio of live animals collected. Contract with SF SPCA 2012 2014 SF SPCA providing consulting services to improve Shelter operations. 2015 City began partially funding the cost of on site veterinarians and additional staff. FY 2016 17 Council approved 2 year Contract for veterinarian, adoption/foster, and volunteer services. City now paying for medical supplies and medications needed. June 30, 2018 contract expires, SF SPCA has provided notice of intent not to renew. Contracts with local emergency vets for after hours emergency care.
SHELTER STAFFING Current City Staff Shelter (12.5) Animal Services Manager (1) Animal Services Supervisor (1) Animal Services Assistant I (8) Office Specialist (1) Office Assistant II (1.5) Field Services (5) Senior Animal Services Officer (1) Animal Services Officer (4) Current SF SPCA Staff (17) Managing Veterinarian (1) Veterinarian (1.5) RVT Supervisor (1) Veterinarian Technician (8) Live Release Coordinator (1) Foster Coordinator (1) Volunteer Coordinator (1) Live Release Assistant (1) Adopt A Bulls Coordinator (.5) Humane Educator (.5) Clinic Assistant (.5) San Joaquin County Field Services (8) Animal Control Officers (8)
$2,500,000 $2,000,000 Expenditures and Live Release Rate 75% 82% 82% 82% 90% 80% 70% $1,500,000 50% 60% 50% $1,000,000 32% 40% 30% $500,000 20% 10% $ FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 Animal Services Animal Shelter SF SPCA Contract LRR 0%
CASE STUDY: STOCKTON vs. SACRAMENTO STOCKTON ANIMAL SERVICES SACRAMENTO ANIMAL SERVICES 2016 Budget $2,644,015 Live Animal Intake 10,705 2016 Live Release Rate 82% Employees 34* 2016 Budget $4,622,579 Live Animal Intake 11,361 2016 Live Release Rate 84% Employees 49 * Includes 17 SF SPCA Positions
Financial Impacts for FY 2017 18 112% increase in Shelter spending since 2012 Shelter budget in Proposed FY 2017 18 Annual Budget is $2.8 million Incorporates SF SPCA Contract increase to $750,000 To maintain existing services level and LRR, additional budget of $565,000 is needed for medical supplies, staffing and other expenses
City s Long Range Financial Plan Impacts Proposed Shelter Budget of $2.8 million in FY 2017 18 keeps General Fund Balance at or above 5% Increase of $565,000 for medical supplies, staffing and other expenses to maintain existing level of service reduces General Fund Balance to 1% by FY 2029 30 Taking over Shelter operations from SF SPCA and maintaining current service levels results in negative General Fund Balance by FY 2027 28